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Each October, Ouachita Baptist University is swept with what many students have affectionately nicknamed “Tunes fever.” Tiger Tunes is a fundraising event put on by the Ouachita Student Foundation, a student-led organization that provides scholarships to upperclassman in need.
According to Joey Licklider, who serves as the manager of the Jones Performing Arts Center where Tiger Tunes is held, Tunes is a musical variety show in which competing clubs pick themes, rewrite the lyrics to popular songs, choreograph, costume and perform a six-minute production.
This year the themes include the Campus Ministries inmates, Eta Alpha Omega doctors, Beta Beta hillbillies, Chi Delta tooth fairies, Tri Chi white house secretaries, Kappi Chi aviators and EEE “ring by spring.” The Ouachita performance band Tiger Blast also performs a number, though does not compete for the title of “best show.”
The clubs have exactly one month to practice their show before competition.
Performing between the musical acts are a group of host and hostesses, who keep the crowd pumped up during transitions by singing a large range of popular music. This year their sets include one dedicated to the disco era and another comprised of songs showcased on the popular television series “Glee.”
Cortnie DeVore, a senior musical theatre major from Bebe, who has been working with her fellow hosts for months to perfect their sets, describes their role in the show as ambassadors for the university. DeVore also notes the work involved.
“Tunes is exhaustion in is purest form,” said DeVore. One night this week, DeVore was rehearsing until 2 a.m. Despite this, she said she wouldn’t trade the experience for the world. DeVore also served as a hostess for the 2008 Tiger Tunes.
Licklider said he works with the hosts and hostesses on their sets in the months leading up to the show, along with their choreographer Grace Whitaker. Licklider also designed the lighting and assumed the role of production manager for the entire program.
Tunes is the main event of the Ouachita homecoming activities, and is performed four times over the course of three days.
Becca Woodall, the Assistant Director for Campus Activates, cites the importance of Tunes to the university as a whole.
“For the greater Ouachita community, it’s the one thing that everyone looks forward to ever year,” said Woodall. “That audience brings the energy to the show, the energy they have left from their memories of when they performed in it. They’ve captured the legacy of what Tunes has become.”
This year will mark the 32nd annual Tiger Tunes. In 2009, OSF raised $92,000 for student scholarships, the large majority of which was raised from Tunes dollars. Because of that money, 66 students were able to continue at Ouachita who might not have been able to otherwise.
The motto of OSF is “students helping students.” Rebecca Jones, an instructor of speech communications at Ouachita and one of the staff coordinators for OSF, describes OSF as Ouachita at its finest.
“It’s essentially students keeping their friends at Ouachita,” said Jones. “It’s what the Ouachita experience is all about.”
Tiger Tunes will have four performances starting this evening at 7:30 p.m. Additional shows will take place Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Admission is $18 for orchestra and mezzanine seating and $16 dollars for balcony seating.
This year’s show might prove to be one of the most successful on record, with all four performances currently sold out. Those without tickets, though, are encouraged to join the waiting list at www.obu.edu/tigertunes.
A simulcast video of the event will also be available on www.obusignal.com for the Saturday night show, where the top three winning clubs will be announced. The simulcast will also run during the show at the Verser Theatre on Ouachita’s campus open to the public for a suggested donation of $5 to OSF.
Each October, Ouachita Baptist University is swept with what many students have affectionately nicknamed “Tunes fever.” Tiger Tunes is a fundraising event put on by the Ouachita Student Foundation, a student-led organization that provides scholarships to upperclassman in need.
According to Joey Licklider, who serves as the manager of the Jones Performing Arts Center where Tiger Tunes is held, Tunes is a musical variety show in which competing clubs pick themes, rewrite the lyrics to popular songs, choreograph, costume and perform a six-minute production.
This year the themes include the Campus Ministries inmates, Eta Alpha Omega doctors, Beta Beta hillbillies, Chi Delta tooth fairies, Tri Chi white house secretaries, Kappi Chi aviators and EEE “ring by spring.” The Ouachita performance band Tiger Blast also performs a number, though does not compete for the title of “best show.”
The clubs have exactly one month to practice their show before competition.
Performing between the musical acts are a group of host and hostesses, who keep the crowd pumped up during transitions by singing a large range of popular music. This year their sets include one dedicated to the disco era and another comprised of songs showcased on the popular television series “Glee.”
Cortnie DeVore, a senior musical theatre major from Bebe, who has been working with her fellow hosts for months to perfect their sets, describes their role in the show as ambassadors for the university. DeVore also notes the work involved.
“Tunes is exhaustion in is purest form,” said DeVore. One night this week, DeVore was rehearsing until 2 a.m. Despite this, she said she wouldn’t trade the experience for the world. DeVore also served as a hostess for the 2008 Tiger Tunes.
Licklider said he works with the hosts and hostesses on their sets in the months leading up to the show, along with their choreographer Grace Whitaker. Licklider also designed the lighting and assumed the role of production manager for the entire program.
Tunes is the main event of the Ouachita homecoming activities, and is performed four times over the course of three days.
Becca Woodall, the Assistant Director for Campus Activates, cites the importance of Tunes to the university as a whole.
“For the greater Ouachita community, it’s the one thing that everyone looks forward to ever year,” said Woodall. “That audience brings the energy to the show, the energy they have left from their memories of when they performed in it. They’ve captured the legacy of what Tunes has become.”
This year will mark the 32nd annual Tiger Tunes. In 2009, OSF raised $92,000 for student scholarships, the large majority of which was raised from Tunes dollars. Because of that money, 66 students were able to continue at Ouachita who might not have been able to otherwise.
The motto of OSF is “students helping students.” Rebecca Jones, an instructor of speech communications at Ouachita and one of the staff coordinators for OSF, describes OSF as Ouachita at its finest.
“It’s essentially students keeping their friends at Ouachita,” said Jones. “It’s what the Ouachita experience is all about.”
Tiger Tunes will have four performances starting this evening at 7:30 p.m. Additional shows will take place Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Admission is $18 for orchestra and mezzanine seating and $16 dollars for balcony seating.
This year’s show might prove to be one of the most successful on record, with all four performances currently sold out. Those without tickets, though, are encouraged to join the waiting list at www.obu.edu/tigertunes.
A simulcast video of the event will also be available on www.obusignal.com for the Saturday night show, where the top three winning clubs will be announced. The simulcast will also run during the show at the Verser Theatre on Ouachita’s campus open to the public for a suggested donation of $5 to OSF.
